Wild Grass

When Wild Grass premiered at Cannes, it was widely recognised as one of the most enjoyable and audacious films in the festival.

Adapted from a novel, L’Incident by the French author Christian Gailly, the film playfully examines the complications that ensue from the discovery by Georges (André Dussollier) of Marguerite’s (Sabine Azéma) stolen purse. This opens up the possibility for both Georges and Marguerite of rushing into the irrational, of just following their impulses where ever they may lead, with no heed to the consequences, that eventually leads to the much-discussed surprise ending.

This multi-layered story of the desire to hold off age, of self-doubt, of the sheer oddity of life, is told by a sometimes unreliable off-screen narrator, (Edouard Baer), and is filled with playful touches and great humour, with terrific cinematography by Eric Gaultier, and just-right performances from Resnais regulars Dussollier and Azéma, plus those actors new to his films, Emmanuelle Devos and Mathieu Amalric.